


Order Up

by LasciviousPeach



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Short and Sweet 2018, diner au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-17 12:04:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16516130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LasciviousPeach/pseuds/LasciviousPeach
Summary: After realizing how expensive college is, Alexander gets a job at a 24-hour diner near his place. It's great working there, except for when Thomas Jefferson - his rival from last semester's political science class - decides to make it his weekly goal to annoy the fuck out of him.





	Order Up

**Author's Note:**

> I took a small detour to the Supernatural fandom (where I'm renting a house) and stayed there for quite some time, and since I cannot multitask, I've neglected my hometown of the Hamilton family. But, alas, I am back with a short and sweet fic for you all. 
> 
> A quick update here: I've been planning a super sweet and long Jamilton fic for you but NaNoWriMo will be taking up the majority of November for me, so don't expect it for another month at least, because I want it to be perfect for all you lovelies. 
> 
> So let me know what you think, or what kind of stories you'd like to see, or just drop into the comments and let me know how you're doing. I've missed you all so much.

Once Alexander starts his second semester of college, he realizes how expensive it honestly is. He had gotten lucky with a full ride, but even with tuition and board paid, expenses still pile up too fast. After two months straight of nothing but ramen noodles and ravioli right out of the can, he succumbs and gets a part-time job at the 24-hour diner a few blocks from his place. The hours are decent; the work is easy, and his boss and coworkers are great.

He’s only been working there for three and a half weeks when his luck tunes sour. 

Alexander’s just finished wiping down the counter when the bell above the door rings. He doesn’t look up from where he’s refilling Mr. Adams’ coffee mug as he says, “One second and I’ll be right with you.” He swaps out Tallmadge’s empty glass for a full one and turns towards the booth that whoever came in sat at. 

His eyes widen as soon as he gets a glimpse of the man who is facing away from him. Alex ducks into the kitchen and shakes his head at John’s curious stare. 

“You remember the guy from my intro to politics class last semester I told you about?” Alexander asks.

John’s eyes don’t drift from the burgers he’s cooking, “The dick you always fight with, right? The total obnoxious asshole.”

“That’s the one.”

“What about him?”

“Well, he’s sitting at table number three.”

This gets John’s attention. “Dude, I’d switch you, but you know you’re terrible at the grill.”

Alexander nods and peaks out the door to where Jefferson is sitting. “I know and it’s fine. I just wasn’t ready to face him yet.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I’ll spit in his food for you.”

Alexander snorts and rolls his eyes. “Please don’t do that, but I appreciate the offer.”

He runs his hands through his slicked-back ponytail and straightens out his apron. He takes a deep breath and twists his pen in his hand. Here goes nothing.

He pushes through the door and walks to table number three. He offers the man Thomas is sitting with a smile and avoids eye contact with Jefferson when he speaks, “Hi welcome to Greene’s Diner, can I start you off with something to drink? 

Alexander looks up from his notepad and finds Thomas’ smirk angled back at him. So much for Thomas not recognizing him.

“Yeah, I’ll have a water - room temperature - with exactly three ice cubes. No more and no less or I’ll have it sent back.” Thomas says, and then he flashes a gleaming smile at Alexander like he isn’t the most worthless, petty, and pathetic man alive.

Alexander says nothing because he doesn’t want his boss to kick him to the curb and turns his attention to the man with him. “And for you?” 

“Sweet tea, please.”

“Any special ice requests?” Alexander says, and his voice is mostly teasing.

The man with Thomas shoots him a smile and shakes his head, “No thank you.”

Alexander smiles at the two of them - because that is his job after all - and turns on his heels. He gets behind the counter and fills a glass with ice and tea, and then the second one with three ice cubes and water from the tap.  

He refills Mrs. Abernathy’s coffee before grabbing the drinks and taking them to Jefferson’s table, “Here you go.” Alexander says, “Are you ready to order or do you need a minute?”

“I’ll have a cheeseburger, lightly seasoned. I want it cooked medium rare - but not too hot. And yes, anything greater than 135 degrees of Fahrenheit qualifies as too hot. I want two slices of tomato, half an ounce of ketchup spread on the top bun, and a quarter of an ounce of mustard spread on the underside of the burger. Add two slices of onion on the side, but make sure they’re not from the outermost part of the onion. I also want a side of french fries, crunchy but not burnt, and bring an extra bottle of ketchup with it, would you?” Thomas says and takes a sip from his glass, “And taking hot water and adding ice doesn’t mean you can call it room temperature.”

Alexander’s sure his jaw is on the floor. He scribbles down the order (CB-T, K, M. Side of O, FF) and looks at the man across from him, “What can I get you?”

The man looks uncomfortable, “A loaded cheeseburger and a side of onion rings, please.”

Alexander smiles, “Coming right up.” and walks away, ignoring how Thomas is trying to shove his drink into Alex’s hands.

He puts the order in with John and focuses on refilling glasses and retrieving extra napkins until John calls out, “Order up!” and Alexander turns back to the counter. He picks up the two plates for table three and delivers them. As he’s approaching the table, he hears Jefferson say, “Wow Madison, the service here sucks. I can’t wait to rate this place on Yelp.”

Alex is almost positive that Madison kicks Jefferson under the table because the taller man flinches and lets out a hiss.

“Here you are. Is there anything else I can get you?” He directs the question towards the man with Thomas - Madison he thinks. He shakes his head no, but Thomas interrupts him before he can walk away.

“I’d like another set of silverware. This one has smudges on it.”

Alexander resists the urge to scream, and all but rips the fork from Thomas’ hand. The man smiles, and Alex wants to punch him in the face.

They leave, eventually, and Madison tips 50% of his bill and writes a small note next to his signature.

_ Sorry about Jefferson. _

Unsurprisingly, Jefferson tips nothing.

It’s two days later when Alexander is preparing dishes for the lunch rush when Lafayette pops in from the front counter. “Alex, there’s _a homme_ here asking for you specifically. Table three.”

Alexander places his dishes back into the sink and wipes his hands on an old dishrag. He pulls his notepad and pen from the front of his apron and walks outside to the front of the diner.

He sees Thomas sitting, alone, at table three and rolls his eyes.

Alexander walks to the table and smiles tightly, “What can I get you?”

“Yikes. That’s the service I was expecting. How you haven’t been fired yet is beyond me.”

“I’m not going to waste my effort on someone that doesn’t tip. Now order or get out.”

Thomas smiles again. His smile is sharp and almost wicked, but Alex can admit that those straight, white teeth compliment his skin tone incredibly well.

“I’ll have a cheeseburger,  two slices of tomato ketchup and mustard spread evenly on the underside of the burger, two slices of onion on the side, and a side of french fries.” Thomas says, “And water to drink. Three ice cubes.”

The order is still ridiculous, but not as ridiculous as last time, so he’ll let it slide. Alex smiles, tight as ever, and nods. “Be out in just a minute.”

He gets Thomas is water, wipes down the countertop, and seats two more couples before Thomas’ food is done. John rings the bell and he picks up the plate. He drops it, and the bill, off at Thomas’ table and leaves before the man can some other dumb comment about his service or the silverware.

Thomas pays and leaves without saying a word to Alex, and for that he is grateful. He grabs the cash from the table and is surprised by the slightly more than 15% tip. It’s only two dollars on his bill of thirteen, but considering it’s Thomas Fucking Jefferson, it surprises Alexander. He doesn’t want his Republican tips, though, so he slips them in John’s apron and pretends not to know how they got there when the kid asks.

They sort of fall into a pattern. Every couple of days, Thomas will come into the diner and request Alexander as his server. He’ll be as difficult, and annoying, as ever and they’ll usually have a quick debate before he leaves without saying a word. He’ll always tip although the price is random, always less than twenty percent, and probably whatever was most convenient for him. Then a few days later, they’ll repeat the process all over again.

It annoys the fuck out of Alex, but it’s gotten to where he almost looks forward to Thomas visits.

It’s a Tuesday night, around  1 AM , and the restaurant was empty. John was in the back probably playing Tetris on his phone, and Alexander was trying - and failing - not to fall asleep into his cup of coffee.

The bell above the door chimed and Alex looked up. He let out a groan at the sight of Thomas’ hair.

“Sit wherever, I’ll be over to take your order in a minute.”

He swallows the rest of his coffee in one big gulp and grabs his pen from the counter before making his way to Thomas’s table - table number three.

“What’ll it be, Jefferson?”

The man looks tired, almost as tired as Alex feels, and rubs his fingers across the bridge of his nose. “What do you usually get?”

It catches Alex off guard enough to wake him up a little, “Um,” He says, “Chicken sandwich is pretty good, and our poppers are to die for.”

“Great, I need an order of that and then my usual with a water and a coffee.”

“Be up in just a minute.” He says and doesn’t make a comment about how much food he’s going to eat because he really doesn’t want to lose his job.

Alexander gets John off his phone long enough to make the food and then drops it off and the bill off at Thomas’ table.

His stomach growls at the smell of food, but he can’t justify making his own at the moment. He resigns himself to a few more hours of misery until Thomas pushes one of the plates - Alex’s recommendation - to the other side of the table.

Thomas nods at the food and raises an eyebrow. “Join me?”

Alexander looks down at the food and shakes his head, “I can’t eat unless I’m on break.”

“So take a break.”

“I’ve already taken mine for the night.”

Thomas looks around the completely empty restaurant and raises an eyebrow, “I’m the only customer here, and I say you need to sit and eat with me, and considering the customer is always right.” He trails off and Alexander honest to God smiles. He sends one last glance in the direction of the kitchen before sliding into the booth across from Thomas. He picks up a popper and puts it in his mouth, letting the cheese slide out before he crunches down the jalapeno.

“No offense, but you look awful,” Alexander says, once he finds nothing else to talk about.

Thomas rolls his eyes and scoots further down in his seat. He rests his head in his hand and shrugs, “Coming from you, that’s really saying something.”

Alexander nods and takes a bite from his sandwich. He’s out of his comfort zone here. “Do you, uhm, wanna like talk about it or something?” Thomas being nice makes him be nice and it’s making them both uncomfortable.

“Not really.” Thomas says, “Work was just a train wreck today.”

“I feel that so hard, man. My boss ordered 5 cases of onion rings instead of 50, and now we’ve run out, and I’ve gotten bitched out by so many people.”

Thomas smiles, “Are you sure it’s because of the onion rings and not your terrible service?”

He gets a popper to the face for that comment.

They talk for the rest of the meal until Alexander looks down and finds his plate empty. He hasn’t taken a bite in over twenty minutes, and it’s hard to believe he’s spent so long just talking to Thomas.

“Let me grab you a box to go.” He grabs their dishes and carries them to the counter and grabs a styrofoam form under the counter. He hands it Thomas and accepts a handful of cash. He hopes the man tipped decently so he can buy his food without worrying about making rent.

“Night Alex,” Thomas says before he leaves, and it’s the first time he’s acknowledged Alex after he paid since he’s been coming into the restaurant. He offers a small wave, “Goodnight.” and watches him walk from the door.

It’s only after he leaves that Alex rings up the bill and goes to put the money in the cash drawer. It’s then he notices that not only did Thomas pay for both of their food, but he also left a ten-dollar tip.

That night changes things between them. Now, when Thomas comes in, he’s only a little difficult and Alex always manages to spend a few minutes chatting from the seat across from him. Thomas is sweeter, still annoying as fuck, but Alexander has grown to find it somewhat, dare he say, endearing?

He increasingly looks forward to the days that Thomas comes in. He starts looking nicer on the days he works and ends up spending twenty extra minutes in the bathroom each morning. John keeps sending him knowing looks over the grill, but Alex just rolls his eyes.

After one particular lunch, Alex becomes convinced that Thomas is flirting with him. It had been subtle, but the eye contact and lash fluttering and long knowing smiles were enough to convince him. It is only after Thomas leaves that he allows himself to start to think about the man as a boyfriend and less of a rival.

Thomas is obviously smart, even if all his opinions are wrong, and Alex has known he was attractive since before they were quasi-friends or whatever. And the man can probably be sweet and charming when he wants to. And the more he thinks about it, the more he wants it to be true.

He has a day off which he spends wishing he was at work. Not because he likes the job or even because he needs the money, but because it’s the best way to see Thomas.

The next day John tells him, “Guy in table number three asked for you. Seemed sad you weren’t here.” and Alexander doesn’t bother hiding his grin.

Thomas doesn’t come in for five days, his longest streak since his first time with Madison, and Alexander begins to get grouchy. By day five, he almost calls in just because he knows Thomas won’t be there.

It’s during the lunch rush that the bell above the door rings and Alex looks up and into Thomas’ golden brown eyes. He smiles because damn him, and Thomas smiles back. He sets down Matthew’s plate of waffles and goes to greet his favorite customer.

“It’s been a while,” Alexander says as a greeting as he slides into the seat across from him.

Thomas looks down, and Alex swears he sees a hint of a blush on the man’s cheeks. “Yeah, I had some family stuff to deal with.”

Alexander offers him a sympathetic smile. “You want the regular?”

Thomas looks back up and his eyes are sparkling, “Yeah but-”

He’s interrupted by a girl coming to stand at the end of their table. She’s beautiful. With long curly hair, deep-set dark eyes under heavily arched brows, and full lips painted scarlet brown. And she’s smiling at Thomas.

“Um,” Alex says unintelligently. The girl gives him a smile but otherwise pays him no mind. “Hey Tommy,” She offers and reaches out to pull on one of his curls.

“Mary,” He says, and his voice is a thousand times warmer than when he speaks to Alexander. He narrows his eyes and, oh.

“Eh, sorry.” He says as he climbs out of the booth to let the girl, Mary, have the seat.

She gives him a small smile and shrugs, “No problem, sugar.” but slides into the seat anyway.

Alexander feels the stirring of jealousy and disappointment deep in his stomach, but he tries to push it down. So, Thomas was just being friendly with him, who cares? It’s not like he liked the man like that, anyway.

“You’re regular, Thomas?” He asks, and the man shakes his head.

“Actually, I’ll have the chicken salad and a coke to drink.”

Salad to impress the date? So 2013.

“And for you?” He turns to Mary.

“Let’s see, can I get a double cheeseburger - pepper jack cheese if you have it - with two slices of tomato, two slices of onion - on the side - and can you make sure they aren’t from the outermost part of the onion? And ketchup and mustard, and water with light ice to drink.”

It’s so almost identical to the way Thomas ordered his first time that Alex wants to roll over and die. “Be up in just a second.”

He gives the order to John and has Lafayette take over table three for him. Being childish is one thing, but no self-respecting person will put themselves in that position. Thomas and the girl leave without saying goodbye. Alex doesn’t ask, but he assumes the tip was shit.

For the next two weeks, Alexander avoids Thomas like the plague. Or like Republicans avoid civil rights. He has Lafayette serve him - and he thankfully never comes back with Mary - and he always tells Thomas that Alex isn’t working.

Thomas knows this is shit. Especially after one time that Lafayette said that as Alex was making eye contact with him.

But he says nothing about it, but he never stops requesting Alex as his server either.

Things come to a head a week later, when Thomas comes in around 2 in the morning on a Tuesday, and Alex is the only server on hand.

Alexander winces when Thomas walks in and takes his normal seat, not even bothering to look in Alex’s direction. He considers, for a moment, if working the grill would be better than this, but decides against it. He grabs his pen from where it sat on the counter with his abandoned crossword puzzle and walks to Thomas’ table.

“Hi,” Alex says, voice sheepish and embarrassed because he’s been acting like a child for the past two weeks.

“Didn’t think you worked here anymore.” Thomas says, “Or that maybe you forgot how to talk.”

Alex flushes, fuck his overactive cheeks, and shrugs. “Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I kind of completely overreacted.”

Thomas seems surprised by this. “ _You_ overreacted?”

“I guess I had spent way too much time reading into our conversations because I thought maybe you were interested, but then you came in here with that girl and ordered your fancy salad and you were all flirty and laughing, and I got jealous, and I am so sorry.”

Thomas blinks.

“So yeah,” Alexander says with a shrug. The silence is deafening, and he’s just waiting for Thomas to get up and storm out.

“I sincerely hope I wasn’t flirting with her.” Thomas says after a minute, “Considering she’s my sister.”

Alexander’s eyes fly back to Thomas’, “What?”

“The girl I came in here with, Mary, is my sister. So I was not flirting with her, and the reason I ordered a salad was that I knew she’d order something difficult and you seemed quite busy. And the laughing was mostly her making fun of me.”

Alexander nods, shocked with relief and curiosity, “Making fun of you for what?”

“Oh, you know, just this pathetic crush I have on a waiter at some dive 24-hour diner.”

Oh,  _ oh _ ,  **oh** .

Alexander swallows around his dry mouth, “You mean,” and points at himself.

Thomas nods, “And here I spent the past two weeks thinking Lafayette overheard my conversation with her and told you, and you were avoiding me because you weren’t interested.”

“Definitely interested,” Alexander says a little too fast. He flushes. “Eh, you want your usual?”

“Nah, I’m not even hungry. I just couldn’t sleep and wanted to see you.”

Alexander flushes again, and God dammit!

“So,” Thomas says as he steals the pen from Alex’s hand and scribbles down a set of numbers on a napkin, “How about you text me and I’ll take you out for dinner sometime? A real date, none of this you eating with me on your break.”

He slides it back across the table and Alex isn’t surprised when Thomas’s body leans across the table too.

Alex lips his lip and nods, “I can so do that.”

He doesn’t get the chance to say anything else before Thomas’ lips are covering his own in a gentle, sweet, and chaste kiss. It’s nothing more than a brush of lips, lasting only a couple of seconds, but it leaves Alexander reeling.

His stomach swoops with a million butterflies and his toes curl, and it is too much and not enough.

Thomas pulls away with a gleaming smile. “Call me, okay?”

Alexander nods, breathless and stunned silent, as Thomas slides out of the booth.

“Night Alex.” He says, shooting a quick wink Alex’s way before he’s out the door.

Alexander slides down in the seat and tries to catch his breath. John enters from the kitchen and rolls his eyes.

_ Totally _ didn’t see that one coming.

_ fin _

**Author's Note:**

> As always, feel free (and encouraged) to drop me a line on my Tumblr: lascivious-peach


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